Move Vista System Partition for 7 Install

zBobG

zBobG

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I want to move the Vista (system) partition so that Seven can be installed in HD0:partition 1 while keeping Vista but moving it to HD0:partition 2. Why? Because I want the Seven partition to be the first partition for performance reasons, I do not intend to use the Vista 64 much if I use it at all but I do not want to delete it altogether.

Currently:
Vista 64 on HD0:partition 1
Seven 64 RC on HD0: partition 2 (to be deleted - replaced with a clone of the Vista partition)
XP SP3 (32) on HD1: partition 1

I am currently triple booting the three OSes.

The Problem:
I have read that there may a problem with removing a partition if it is the system partition.

Planned:
With EasyBCD remove the bootable Seven entry, remove the Seven partition, clone the Vista partition to partition 2. Install Seven 64 onto partition 1 from the booted DVD and format (and replace) the existing Vista 64 partition. Afterwards using EasyBCD restore the triple boot. So the result is:
Seven 64 on HD0: partition 1
Vista 64 on HD0:partition 2
XP SP3 (32) on HD1: partition 1

The Questions:
How is a partition marked as a system partition? When I clone the Vista partition am I going to run into trouble because it is a system partition?

Is this even possible? Is it possible to boot into a clone of the Vista partition? Once I've installed Seven I assume there will be a new set of system files (or a new system partition) which I can modify (with EasyBCD) to restore a bootable Vista. Is this likely?

The alternative is to dump the current Vista partition and reinstall Vista (and all its drivers and applications) after the Seven install, this I do not want to do. I would rather have a clean install of Seven and a moved Vista. I would also prefer to NOT keep the bootloader files in the Vista partition.

Any advice or ideas would be welcome.
 
Last edited:

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Yes, you will be fine.

Make sure to mark the partition you want to install 7 on Active - before you do.

Easiest is to copy Vista partition to new unallocated space ( at least as big as the original partition ).

Use bootable partition manager to delete old Vista partition - create new ntfs partition from that - mark Active.

Install 7 onto that Active partition .

Add entries to 7 bcd after installation.
 

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System One System Two

  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
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    7 X64
    CPU
    i5 8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200mhz
    Hard Drives
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  • Computer type
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    OS
    7x64
    CPU
    g5400
    Motherboard
    ga b365m ds3h
    Memory
    8gb ddr4 2400
    PSU
    xfx pro 450w
Download and burn to disk free Partition Wizard app.

Boot from PW disk, Delete RC partition, copy Vista into the RC space

Create a new primary first partition and mark active.

Boot Win7 installer. Install Win7 to first partition which should configure the boot loader although some entries may need to be added using EasyBCD.
 
LOL.

He already said the boot files are on the current Vista partition.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    OS
    7 X64
    CPU
    i5 8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200mhz
    Hard Drives
    various
    PSU
    pure power 11 400w cm
    Case
    Coolermaster
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    OS
    7x64
    CPU
    g5400
    Motherboard
    ga b365m ds3h
    Memory
    8gb ddr4 2400
    PSU
    xfx pro 450w
SIW2 said:
LOL.

He already said the boot files are on the current Vista partition.
Click to expand...

We were typing at the same time and gave the same advice as far as I can see:

Copy the VIsta into deleted RC space,

create new partition in first partition where VIsta was and mark active,

install 7 there.

I think 7 will configure properly all 3 but he might need to add entry in EasyBCD.

What's so funny?
 
This bit :

If XP current holds the MBR then I do not believe it is necessary to pass the active flag to Win 7 as it's installer should configure the multi-boot correctly.
Click to expand...

You could be right - the OP may be mistaken. Too often I assume what the poster says is right - Never assume.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    OS
    7 X64
    CPU
    i5 8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200mhz
    Hard Drives
    various
    PSU
    pure power 11 400w cm
    Case
    Coolermaster
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    OS
    7x64
    CPU
    g5400
    Motherboard
    ga b365m ds3h
    Memory
    8gb ddr4 2400
    PSU
    xfx pro 450w
SIW2 said:
This bit :

If XP current holds the MBR then I do not believe it is necessary to pass the active flag to Win 7 as it's installer should configure the multi-boot correctly.
Click to expand...

You could be right - the OP may be mistaken. Too often I assume what the poster says is right - Never assume.
Click to expand...

I edited that out of my post after I re-read his unclear statement about whether Vista might be active:

zBobG said:
The Questions:
How is a partition marked as a system partition? When I clone the Vista partition am I going to run into trouble because it is a system partition?
Click to expand...


Does the OP know for sure if Vista is active? Wasn't XP installed first in dual boot with Vista, then RC added third?
 
Yes, could be.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    OS
    7 X64
    CPU
    i5 8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200mhz
    Hard Drives
    various
    PSU
    pure power 11 400w cm
    Case
    Coolermaster
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    OS
    7x64
    CPU
    g5400
    Motherboard
    ga b365m ds3h
    Memory
    8gb ddr4 2400
    PSU
    xfx pro 450w
Odd how someone can post a question - and then doesn't wait for an answer.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    OS
    7 X64
    CPU
    i5 8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200mhz
    Hard Drives
    various
    PSU
    pure power 11 400w cm
    Case
    Coolermaster
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    OS
    7x64
    CPU
    g5400
    Motherboard
    ga b365m ds3h
    Memory
    8gb ddr4 2400
    PSU
    xfx pro 450w
Back from Dancing

Sorry not to reply sooner. It was late when I got back to look for an answer, first two posts seemed to adquately reassure me anyway. That was an excellent link for the PW, thank you.

If XP current holds the MBR then I do not believe it is necessary to pass the active flag to Win 7 as it's installer should configure the multi-boot correctly.
Click to expand...
Actually I think that's correct (but my XP does NOT boot the system, Vista does), I believe the Seven installer WILL correctly mark the HD0:1 as active when it installs. Note that the XP install is on HD1 (not HD0) and actually has an XP MBR but it is NOT used to boot the system. Vista on HD0:1 currently contains the bootloader and multi-boots Vista, Seven RC and XP. Once Vista is moved to HD0:2 those boot files will no longer be functional. Seven should rewrite the MBR (on HD0) and install its own bootloader into HD0:1 into the new Seven partition. Later I will use EasyBCD to restore the Vista and XP multi-boot.

As to the bootloader files:
XP was installed first (in 2002) and was HD0 (the C:/) drive. Vista was installed this year (got it for half price) on a new HD. The XP drive was physically moved to HD1, Vista was installed on the new (empty) HD0 which now contains the bootloader.

As you are probably aware the XP boot files can be (and were) put in the root of the Vista partition and EasyBCD was used to create a multi boot.

Seven RC was added later and the bootloader remained on the Vista partition.

Following my previously noted plan, once Seven is installed into HD0:1 (a new empty partition) the bootloader will hopefully be in the Seven partition, Vista in HD0:2 may automatically be detected and a multi-boot created. It will remain to again move the XP (HD1:1) boot files to the Seven partition and use EasyBCD to add XP to the boot.

It may not have been clear that the bootloader IS currently in the Vista partition. The XP is installed on a different physical drive and contains only its boot files. Vista was installed on a new empty drive with no knowledge of the existance of XP, the XP drive was actually unplugged when Vista was installed to prevent any accidents.

I am hoping that the Seven install will NOT somehow try to use the old Vista bootloader files, I don't think it will. If it does, I think I can hide the Vista partition from the Seven install then unhide it afterwards. Seven, when installed by booting the DVD, should place a new MBR that directs the boot to the Seven Partition.

I only got my copy of Seven Pro on Friday by FedEx so I'm a little late getting this started. I've just gotten back Thursday night from a three week trip so I'm also just a little burned-out. I'll try to remember to let you guys know if this all works out well. Thanks for the help.
 
Last edited:

My Computer My Computer

OS
XP SP3 32bit, Vista HP 64bit, Seven Pro 64bit
CPU
Q6600 G0 @ 3.2GHz
Motherboard
GA-P965-DS3
Memory
4Gb OCZ
Graphics Card(s)
nVidia GTX275 896Mb
Sound Card
X-Fi Fatal1ty Platinum
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer H243H
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Samsung 1Tb SATA2
MAXTOR 1Tb SATA2
MAXTOR 500Gb SATA2
MAXTOR 300Gb SATA2
PSU
Antec 650 Trio
Cooling
Zalman 9700
Keyboard
G15,G13
Mouse
MX518
Internet Speed
330Kbps down
Solved and Installed

Windows 7 64 Pro installed successfully into partition 1 after moving the Vista partition to partition 2. I did a custom (clean) install from a Seven upgrade DVD, entered the PID at install time and it did activate successfully. Seven installed in 20 minutes with 10 more minutes to do the updates - very nice!

Now it will only take me a week or so to install all my stuff.

No dual boot option was installed automatically, EasyBCD was used to easily restore the triple boot with Seven/Vista/XP with one small problem.

Vista will boot, show the logon but now there is no Desktop. I can run Task Manager and shutdown but Vista appears broken. From what I have read, Vista does not like to have its partition moved and now won't boot properly. As far as I can tell this particular problem is not fixable except by reinstalling Vista.

I have tried a repair install with no results - says nothing to repair. I would do an upgrade install but I believe you can only do that from within Vista and not directly from the DVD. I might try running the install DVD from the broken desktop.

So... As I don't have anything critical installed in Vista, I probably won't use it anyway, should I just abandon Vista?

STAFF: How do you mark a thread as solved? Or can only forum staff do that?
 

My Computer My Computer

OS
XP SP3 32bit, Vista HP 64bit, Seven Pro 64bit
CPU
Q6600 G0 @ 3.2GHz
Motherboard
GA-P965-DS3
Memory
4Gb OCZ
Graphics Card(s)
nVidia GTX275 896Mb
Sound Card
X-Fi Fatal1ty Platinum
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer H243H
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Samsung 1Tb SATA2
MAXTOR 1Tb SATA2
MAXTOR 500Gb SATA2
MAXTOR 300Gb SATA2
PSU
Antec 650 Trio
Cooling
Zalman 9700
Keyboard
G15,G13
Mouse
MX518
Internet Speed
330Kbps down
Depends on how badly you want Vista. You can delete the partition in Win7 Disk Management, then remove any boot menu entry by running "msconfig" and deleting Vista from the boot tab entries.

Booting into Vista installer's Repair console is not how a Vista repair reinstall is done. You have to run an Upgrade install over itself from the desktop, like Win7. However, it would snatch the boot back from Win7 and require a follow-up repair install by Win7 to settle all boot issues. So it depend on how badly you want Vista.
 
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